VB Tutorials?

Hi,

Does anyone have any tips or better yet links on places to go for learning more (without actually having to go on a course) about any of the following subjects:
- VB or C++ .NET - I used to program in VB but I find .NET bewildering. Nothing works! you can't even put a number in a text box or vice versa without explicitly knowing the command to convert the two types. Seems like Microsoft has taken the 'basic' out of Visual Basic.
- Audio plugin programming with JUCE (mac or PC, preferably both). I've done a bit of AU programming at uni and I'm familiar with all those technical aspects. Its just actually getting a project together that I struggle with.